A Shard of Fea
by PageKat
Summary: Princes and Creatures. That's the way it has been, and will always be. Murk Morgandell is a creature, Theoaure is a prince. They have a strange sort of friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one.**

 _A/N: So, if y'all want to know, this is one of the fics where Leggy has siblings, just two, but siblings none the less. One of the main characters of this story, Theoaure, or just Theo, is Legolas's older brother. But, due to Theo's wandering nature, Leggy's still the crown prince. Got it? Good. Let's get started._

:::

Wind howled through the forest, whipping Theo's silver hair around his face as he rode, ears perked to catch any and all sounds. His horse was tired, not so tired that it stopped moving, just a bone weary sort of ache, all the way through it. The bounce in its stride was long gone.

"Come on, Morgan," Said Theo urgently, "We must arrive before dark."

The horse's previously hanging head bobbed upward and it sped up its trot, ignoring the pain in its legs to get its master to safety. It was beautiful horse, dark grey with lighter spots and jet black stockings, its black mane and tail flowing free in the wind. Its mane, about two feet at its longest, seemed impractical, but did not impede the horse's movement in the slightest, simply adding to its beauty.

Theo rode it like a king, albeit a hurried king, sore and tired from to much travel. His perfect posture was only marred by his constantly shifting gaze, always watching, analyzing the forest around him.

There was no sign that they were nearing their destination, they came around a bend in the path and there it was, an archway, gates closed and foreboding looking in the near dark.

Theo didn't need to tell Morgan what to do, the majestic beast stopped on its own, his silver-white eyes cast at the ground.

As soon as the elves on guard saw who it was at their gate, they threw it open as fast as they could, running out to lead Morgan in once it was open.

Theo, knowing the danger was past, relaxed his seat on Morgan's bare back, and before he could even register the darkness at the edge of his vision, he slumped off his horse with a groan, and was caught by the same elves who had opened the gate.

:::

For what seemed like the hundredth time that evening, the healers brushed Thranduil off. Calima, one of them, closed the door to the healing wing with a resounding 'click'. She had told him, as all the others had, that all his son needed was rest, and he'd be fine.

Apparently, Thranduil's constant presence would not be conducive to Theoaure getting rest. The elvenking sighed. Healers were so persnickety.

He was then distracted by his youngest hurtling towards him, a little ball of energy. "Ada! Ada! Where's Theo? Wa's going on?"

Thranduil huffed out a breath. Thwarted for now. Walking to his son, he said, "Theo will be well soon, ion-nin. Soon."


	2. Big ‘ol AN

**Big 'ol A/N**

 _A/N: Ok, ok, ok. I really hate putting a/n's instead of chapters, but this is important! Fair warning: As of next chapter (which is coming soon!) I will be changing the titles of this story, and connected stories. Here's how It will be:_

 _There For You_ **A Feather of Soul**

 _Murk Morgandell **A Shard of Faë**_

 _You have been WARNED!_

 _Alright! Now that that's done… Put on your reading glasses people, the next chapter is coming!_


	3. Chapter 2

Trinathiel hurried through winding halls of the palace towards the stables, her footsteps soft and silent. She knew that her brother's horse and constant companion would be there, waiting for someone to come take care of him. While she could do nothing for Theo at the moment, she could help Morgan.

Entering the stables, she found Morgan, the elves who had found him and his rider outside the gates having left him in the isle, knowing she would come for him. Reaching out for his bridal, Trinathiel said softly, "Mae govannen, Morgandell, thank you for bringing my cousin to safety."

Morgan nodded his head as the bridal slipped off. Wickering his thanks to the princess. Rubbing his neck, Trinathiel reached out with her other hand and carefully opened a stall door and led Morgan through it.

Grabbing a brush, she began rubbing down Theo's horse. That was when she saw the blood.

"Morgan!" She cried, "What has happened?" She knew he wouldn't answer but she was still surprised. She grew even more worried when she found the wound. It was big but that was not what caused her worry. The real cause was that all that blood couldn't possibly belong all to him. Either they had been in a fight, or Theo's condition was worse than the healers were letting on.

Calima may not be willing to let Thranduil into the healing rooms, but that was because she dealt with him all the time and was no longer intimidated by him. Raging older sisters—or cousins in this case, though she was like a sister—, however, were another matter.

"Let me in," said Trinathiel. Calima hurried to comply, ignoring Thranduil's incredulous look as she opened the door.

She herself had an older sister, and was well aware that they were scary when they were upset. But however angry Calima's own sister was, Trinathiel could be worse. While some were huffy and loud when they were mad, this royal was more of a silent, disapproving type, brooding and dark like a thunder cloud, and just as dangerous as lightning.

Especially when it came to the princes. She loved them with all her heart, and put all her heart into protecting them. So Calima let her in and led her silently to Theo's bedside.

Once Calima left, Trinathiel sat down next to her cousin, her prince, who may as well be her brother. He was in bad shape, but he was getting better. With her limited knowledge of healing, she could tell that his wound had been poisoned, just by how still and pale he was.

Leaning over, she put her head on his chest, comforted by the sound of his heartbeat. It was sluggish and almost painful to hear, but it was there. She knew that the healers had done all they could, and unless they could pull Elrond himself out of thin air, he was going to have to heal on his own.

But this was the life led by those in Mirkwood, it was dangerous. And the threats weren't only from the woods.

Trinathiel didn't like to really think hard about the state of the forest around them. She was a warrior, yes, but she was also a daughter and a wife, despite the merciless nature of Mirkwood elves, those who loved her didn't want to see her hurt, and the best way to accomplish this was to keep her out of battle, so they did.

But she could still feel the forest, and it felt broken. Like a distorted reflection of her family. Theoaure, sunlight, day. She loved him like a brother, and she knew An tried his best to understand the crown prince, but she could feel the disappointment practically radiating off the older members of the family; Thranduil, Ruthiel, her own father. Her father, who so loved An and little Legolas, but couldn't see past Theo's ragged facade.

And yes, that was all it was, she knew, a facade, a cover, a shield for Theo to hide behind. He tried to stay strong, for An and Legolas and herself, but the mask had been cracking for the past few years. He hadn't had to tell her when he gave up trying to be Thranduil's perfect son, when everything became grey to him, she could tell when the mask he kept up went from sturdy to apathetic. He was fading, but only on the inside.

That was why he left. He would be gone for what seemed like forever, then he would return, wounded more often that not, and get patched up. He'd argue with Thranduil or her aunt or father, then he'd leave again. When he needed comfort, she would be there, but his own fading she could not help him with.

"Trina?" Theo's voice was soft, but she caught it, and sat up to look at him.

"I'm here, Theo. I'm here."


End file.
